List of All Articles with Tag 'f1'

Lewis Hamilton fears there is a “high chance” that Max Verstappen will win all 10 remaining races this season – and believes the Dutchman’s crushing dominance could last until 2026. Following a four-week summer shutdown, Formula One fires up this weekend at Verstappen’s home round in the Netherlands. Verstappen has won the last eight races and he will match Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine on the spin for Red Bull in 2013 if he triumphs in front of his orange-clad Dutch fans here on Sunday. Such is the dominance of Verstappen’s machine – and the two-time world champion’s supreme form – there is a feeling in the paddock, not only that Red Bull could become the first team to go through a campaign unbeaten, but that Verstappen could be victorious at each of the concluding 10 rounds. “There is a high chance that he (Verstappen) will win every race,” said Hamilton, 38. “He hasn’t made any mistakes and the team hasn’t made many this year. They might win everything. “But later on in the year, maybe we will get closer and we are hopeful we can challenge them at some point – whether that is this weekend, or who knows where? If there are any mistakes or mishaps, we will be right there to capitalise.” Verstappen has dominated since F1’s regulations were overhauled at the start of last season, with his comfortable victory at the concluding round before the break in Belgium his 10th from 12 so far and his 19th from his last 23 outings. He is a staggering 125 points clear in the standings as he closes in on a hat-trick of titles. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc predicted on Thursday that it would be “very, very difficult” to catch Verstappen and Red Bull before the sport’s next major rule change in 2026. And Hamilton continued: “The fact is Red Bull are ahead and they have most likely started development on next year’s car a month before anybody else. It is very, very possible that Charles could be right. “We are working on the steep gradient to develop our car and close the gap. Whether or not we can, next year will be the proof.” I am hoping we are closer or in shooting range of a podium this weekend Lewis Hamilton Hamilton’s £40million-a-year contract expires at the end of the season and the Briton said on Thursday that were there was no update on his next deal, despite team principal Toto Wolff claiming – ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix on June 18 – that his star driver’s future would be resolved in “days rather than weeks”. Hamilton is fourth in the standings, 41 points adrift of Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez who occupies the runner-up spot, while Mercedes are second in the team standings, an eye-watering 256 points behind Red Bull, but 51 points clear of Ferrari. “It is a huge achievement to be second in the championship and it is something I feel has been overlooked,” said Hamilton. “We want to win but I am really proud of the team and the steps we have taken. “The guys think this track is not too different to Budapest and our car was good in Budapest. Even last year when the car was not great in Zandvoort, we were closer to the front. “George (Russell) finished second and at one point I was hunting down the lead so I am hoping we are closer or in shooting range of a podium this weekend. “We have the belief we will get there. And my goal is to try and keep that second place in the constructors’ championship and hunt down second in the drivers’ standings.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Haas announce Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg staying for 2024 Lewis Hamilton gives blunt response to Felipe Massa’s legal action over 2008 title Charles Leclerc gives gloomy prediction on how quick Ferrari will catch Red Bull

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc believes “it will be very difficult” for the chasing pack to catch Red Bull before 2026. Red Bull have won all 12 races so far this season, with Max Verstappen claiming 10 victories and Sergio Perez two. Leclerc, who has not won a race since last July in Austria, is an astonishing 215 points behind runaway F1 championship leader Verstappen in the standings – and was pessimistic when asked how long it would take for Ferrari and the rest to match Red Bull. “They [Red Bull] have a really big margin,” he said on Thursday, ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix. “It’s going to be very, very difficult to catch them before the change of regulations.” Formula 1 is not set to change its regulations until 2026, when cars will have more electrical power and run on a new carbon-free fuel. Red Bull, inspired by their design guru Adrian Newey, have nailed this current set of “ground-effect” regulations and are cruising to another double success this year, having coasted to last season’s drivers’ and constructors’ championship as well. “Normally when we see a team dominating, it was qualifying and the race,” Leclerc added. “But now, for some reason with Red Bull, it’s much more in the race than in qualifying. The gaps are much bigger in the race than in qualifying and that’s why we are all working towards our race pace, because Red Bull is just so far ahead. “There’s still a lot of work to do. We have some developments in the next few races that can help us do a step forward.” Ferrari are currently fourth in the constructors’ championship, five points behind Aston Martin in third and 56 points behind Mercedes in second. The Scuderia, under new boss Fred Vasseur, have struggled to consistently get to grips with their 2023 car – a point acknowledged by Leclerc. “With this car, we have some unexpected surprises because they are such sensitive cars that a small change can have a big influence. And hopefully it will be the case for us.” Verstappen has a 125-point lead in the championship to team-mate Sergio Perez heading into his home grand prix this weekend, with 10 races remaining this season. Read More Lewis Hamilton gives blunt response to Felipe Massa’s legal action over 2008 F1 title Daniel Ricciardo is back - and this time he wants to go out on top F1 Dutch Grand Prix: When is practice on Friday in Zandvoort? Lewis Hamilton gives blunt response to Felipe Massa’s legal action over 2008 title F1 takes steps to prevent use of flares at Dutch Grand Prix F1 Dutch Grand Prix: When is practice on Friday in Zandvoort?

Lewis Hamilton insists he is “not focusing on what happened 15 years ago” when questioned on Thursday about Felipe Massa’s legal action over the 2008 Formula 1 title. Massa is seeking substantial damages following the 2008 Crashgate scandal and a subsequent alleged “conspiracy” after comments earlier this year by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. Hamilton, now a seven-time world champion, won his first F1 title in 2008 on the final lap of a dramatic final race in Brazil, with Massa missing out by a single point. A formal eight-page ‘Letter Before Claim’ was sent to F1 boss Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem last Tuesday from London-based Enyo Law with the firm, acting on Massa’s behalf, alleging that the 42-year-old has been “the victim of a conspiracy committed by individuals at the highest level of F1 together with the FIA and Formula One management”. Yet Hamilton, when asked about the case ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, remained tight-lipped. “I’ve got a really bad memory,” Hamilton said. “I’m really just focused on the here and now and helping the team get back to the championship. I’m not focused on what happened 15 years ago.” Massa’s lawyers stated in their letter that the ex-Ferrari driver has lost out on tens of millions of euros in lost earnings and bonuses as a result of missing out on the 2008 title. What was the ‘Crashgate’ scandal? Crashgate rocked Formula 1 when the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix saw Renault’s Fernando Alonso win the race before it emerged that his teammate Nelson Piquet Jr had deliberately crashed to bring out a safety car that played into Alonso’s hands. That safety car prompted a Massa pit stop that Ferrari mishandled, with Massa eventually finishing the race 13th while Hamilton came home third – a difference of six points, a swing which ultimately impacted the title result. While Renault and team boss Flavio Briatore were punished in 2009 for Crashgate, the result of the race stood despite Massa’s protestations, with the FIA’s statutes making clear that overturning the classification from each season is impossible once the FIA Awards Ceremony for that year is complete, a rule set in the FIA International Sporting Code. Ecclestone revealed in March that both he and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew of the Crashgate scandal in 2008, but refused to publicise the chain of events to avoid the sport a “huge scandal”. The 38-year-old also gave a simple “no” response when asked about any contract updates, with his current Mercedes deal set to expire at the end of the season. Hamilton has not won a race since Saudi Arabia in 2021, but he came close this time last year at Zandvoort before Max Verstappen came through to win his home race for the second year running. Verstappen, who has won 10 of the 12 races so far this season and is looking to equal Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine consecutive victories this weekend, has a “high chance” according to Hamilton of winning every race until the end of the 2023 campaign. The Mercedes star himself, however, is targeting second place in the world championship. He is currently in fourth place, 41 points behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in second. “I think P2 [in the constructors’] is a huge achievement and something that has been overlooked if I’m completely honest,” he said, with the Silver Arrows the next-best behind Red Bull. “Ultimately we want to win, but I’m really proud of the team and the steps we’ve made with the car. “My goal is to make sure the team keep second in the championship and try to hunt down second in the drivers’ championship. That’s my goal – that’ll be fun.” Verstappen has a 125-point lead in the championship heading into his home race this weekend, with 10 races remaining this season. Read More Felipe Massa starts legal action over 2008 F1 title loss to Lewis Hamilton Lewis Hamilton would be taking gamble by leaving Mercedes, says former rival F1 Dutch Grand Prix: When is practice on Friday in Zandvoort? F1 takes steps to prevent use of flares at Dutch Grand Prix F1 Dutch Grand Prix: When is practice on Friday in Zandvoort? F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Dutch Grand Prix?

Haas has named an unchanged driver line-up for 2024 with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg both retained by the American team. Hulkenberg, 36, had been without a full-time seat on the grid since 2019, but has impressed since replacing Mick Schumacher. Magnussen, 30, was handed a second stint with Haas on the eve of last season after Russian driver Nikita Mazepin was sacked. Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said: “It’s safe to say that we’ve had an extremely solid driver pairing this season in Formula One and ultimately there was no reason to look to change that moving forward. “Kevin is obviously a very well-known quantity to us, and I’m delighted he’ll return for what will be his seventh season in Haas colours. With 113 starts for our team alone, we know where his strengths lie and his knowledge and experience of our organisation pairs very well with that too. “On the other side of the garage, Nico’s simply slotted in without fuss or fanfare and proved himself to be a valuable member of the team. He’s approaching 200 starts in Formula One and we’re very happy to be the beneficiary of that experience behind the wheel.” Heading into the second half of this year’s 22-round campaign, Haas are eighth of 10 in the constructors’ standings. Hulkenberg scored the team’s best result of the season so far with a seventh place in Australia in April. He also qualified second at the Canadian Grand Prix in June, and has scored nine points to Magnussen’s two. “It’s nice to get things sorted early for next season to just keep the focus on racing and improving performance,” said the German. Magnussen added: “I’m obviously very happy to see my relationship with Haas extended once again. “My return in 2022 had been unexpected but was filled with numerous highlights, and although this season hasn’t gone quite as we’d hoped, we’ve still managed to get into the points and shown potential in the package we have.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Haas have confirmed an unchanged line-up on the grid for the 2024 Formula 1 season with both Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen retaining their seats. The experienced pairing have combined well so far in 2023, with Hulkenberg particularly impressive in qualifying. Though the team’s qualifying speed has translated to just three combined top ten race finishes, Haas hope that tweaks made during the F1 summer break will allow them to climb the Constuctors Championship standings from their current position of eighth. And some reports suggested that Guenther Steiner’s team may look to refresh their driver line-up with a younger option alongside one of the veterans in 2024, Haas have now confirmed that the German and the Dane will again combine. “I think it’s safe to say that we’ve had an extremely solid driver pairing this season in Formula 1 and ultimately there was no reason to look to change that moving forward,” said team principal Steiner. “Kevin is obviously a very well-known quantity to us, and I’m delighted he’ll return for what will be his seventh season in Haas colours. With 113 starts for our team alone, we know where his strengths lie and his knowledge and experience of our organisation pairs very well with that too. “On the other side of the garage, Nico’s simply slotted in without fuss or fanfare and proved himself to be a valuable member of the team. He’s approaching 200 starts in Formula 1 and we’re very happy to be the beneficiary of that experience behind the wheel. “We’ve had to tackle our issues this season with regards to the VF-23, we don’t hide from that, but we’ve been extremely fortunate to have had two drivers whose feedback is invaluable in assisting our engineering objectives.” Hulkenberg was given a surprise F1 lifeline before the start of this season, with the German called in from a position as Aston Martin’s reserve driver to replace compatriot Mick Schumacher. It represents the first full-time seat that the 36-year-old has held in the sport since 2019, and Hulkenberg has enjoyed a number of strong showings, making it to Q3 at half of the 12 races so far and recording a best finish of seventh at the Australian Grand Prix. “It’s nice to get things sorted early for next season to just keep the focus on racing and improving performance,” Hulkenberg said. “I enjoy being part of the team and share Gene [Haas] and Guenther’s passion for it. We’re competing in a very tight midfield and I’m looking forward to building on what we’ve done together so far and taking that forward into 2024.” The Formula 1 campaign resumes in the Netherlands this weekend with the Dutch Grand Prix. Hulkenberg and Magnussen are currently 14th and 18th respectively in the Drivers’ Championship standings, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen streaking towards a third consecutive world title. Read More Guenther Steiner interview: What makes star of Drive to Survive tick? Mick Schumacher’s crash on ‘slow lap’ in Japan was final straw, says Guenther Steiner F1 2023 calendar: Every Grand Prix race this season F1 2023 calendar: All 23 Grand Prix this year F1 takes steps to prevent use of flares at Dutch Grand Prix Felipe Massa starts legal action over 2008 F1 title loss to Lewis Hamilton

Organisers of the Dutch Grand Prix are clamping down on the use of flares ahead of this weekend’s race at Zandvoort. Last year’s event, which saw Max Verstappen win his home race for the second time, was impacted by an orange flare thrown onto the racetrack during qualifying. A fan was ejected after throwing the flare onto the circuit, causing a red flag and a delay of the session. While their use have been popular at Zandvoort since its return to the F1 calendar in 2021, organisers have now made it known in no uncertain terms that flares are not allowed this year. “Because of the popularity of the sport and Max, fans brought in these flares in Austria a few years ago,” Dutch Grand Prix director Imre Van Leeuwen told Motorsport.com. “The image looked great on TV and they shot footage with the flares. So a normal fan, not a hooligan but a normal fan, thinks he is a good fan if he brings a flare. “And now you see that there are so many that it’s dangerous and it’s not good for your health. We have to inform people now that you’re not a good fan if you have a flare, you’re a good fan if you don’t have a flare. “And if you see a flare you say ‘Come on guy, that is dangerous for my health.’ It’s also dangerous for the drivers because I think two years ago during the formation lap in Austria, the drivers had poor visions. And that was something a normal fan didn’t know.” Van Leeuwen also announced a specific “information point” at the circuit to report fan abuse, following incidents last year in Austria. “I would be really disappointed in our fans if, as a Ferrari or Lewis Hamilton fan, you wouldn’t feel safe,” he added. “It’s good to celebrate and have a party but it’s not good to intimidate people or behave in a disrespectful way. Of course, we will punish people. We now have an information point so if something happens to you, you can tell your story there.” F1 returns this weekend at Zandvoort with Verstappen cruising to third-straight world championship. The Dutchman has a 125-point lead in the standings with 10 races to go. Read More Felipe Massa starts legal action over 2008 F1 title loss to Lewis Hamilton Fernando Alonso reveals title regret from 20-year F1 career Ferrari boss labels Red Bull’s cost cap penalty a ‘big joke’ F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Dutch Grand Prix? Fernando Alonso reveals title regret from 20-year F1 career Why have Massa’s lawyers started legal action over 2008 ‘crashgate’ with Hamilton?

Fernando Alonso has revealed that not winning a Formula 1 title with Ferrari is one of his biggest regrets from his 20-year career. The Spaniard, racing in his 20th season in F1 this year with Aston Martin, burst onto the world stage after winning two titles in a row with Renault in 2005 and 2006, ending the championship win-streak of Michael Schumacher. After a famously fractured solo season with McLaren alongside then-rookie Lewis Hamilton in 2007, Alonso returned to Renault before moving to Ferrari in 2010. While at the Scuderia for five years, he finished runner-up in the championship three times and missed out in the final race of the 2010 and 2012 season to Sebastian Vettel – two moments he wishes he could have back. “Winning a championship with Ferrari – that would probably be the first thing I’d choose,” Alonso told the High Performance Podcast. “If I can go back in time to 2010, 2012, we were within a few laps to winning a championship and that could have changed a little bit the outcome of many things and the history behind a few things.” The 42-year-old added that he would enjoy the moment of his championship triumphs more, too, if he had his time again. “What I regret for sure and we touched [on this] before, was not enjoying more my time and my career,” he said. “You know that I’m at the end of it. There is a new life, you know in a few years’ time for me without driving and when I look back to my career, I will see a lot of good things and friendships and incredible experiences but, yeah, I should have enjoyed more. “I won the championship in Brazil, 2005 and 2006, and I hardly remember anything from those afternoons and nights, which is sad.” After a dire spell back with McLaren, Alonso took a two-year hiatus from F1 in 2019 before returning with Alpine in 2021. He shocked the paddock when he joined Aston Martin for 2023 but the move has paid off. With 10 races left, he is the best of the rest behind the Red Bull pairing of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, lying third in the standings and is one point ahead of rival Lewis Hamilton. Read More Felipe Massa starts legal action over 2008 F1 title loss to Lewis Hamilton F1 2023 mid-season awards: Best driver, worst race and biggest surprise Ferrari boss labels Red Bull’s cost cap penalty a ‘big joke’ Why have Massa’s lawyers started legal action to strip Hamilton of 2008 F1 title? Felipe Massa starts legal action over 2008 F1 title loss to Lewis Hamilton ‘Big joke’: Ferrari boss slams Red Bull’s cost cap penalty

Felipe Massa’s lawyers have started legal action against Formula 1 and the FIA over the 2008 F1 title loss to Lewis Hamilton, seeking substantial damages following that year’s “Crashgate” scandal and a subsequent alleged “conspiracy.” Brazilian driver Massa, then racing for Ferrari, missed out on the 2008 title by a single point in dramatic circumstances at the final race in Brazil as Hamilton – then driving for McLaren - claimed the point he needed on the final lap in wet conditions. Yet new comments earlier this year, by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, about the infamous ‘Crashgate’ scandal in Singapore that season has encouraged Massa to assess all his potential options regarding compensation and perhaps overturning the result. While the latter is not currently possible under FIA regulations, a formal eight-page ‘Letter Before Claim’ was sent to F1 boss Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem on Tuesday from London-based Enyo Law, as reported by Reuters. The firm, acting on Massa’s behalf, alleges that the 42-year-old has been “the victim of a conspiracy committed by individuals at the highest level of F1 together with the FIA and Formula One management.” It adds that Massa has lost out on tens of millions of euros in lost earnings and bonuses as a result of Crashgate and missing out on the 2008 title. Crashgate rocked the sport when the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix saw Renault’s Fernando Alonso win the race before it emerged that his team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr. had deliberately crashed to bring out a safety car that played into Alonso’s hands. That safety car prompted a Massa pit stop that Ferrari mishandled, with Massa eventually finishing the race 13th while Hamilton came home third – a difference of six points, a swing which ultimately impacted the title result. While Renault and team boss Flavio Briatore were punished in 2009, the result of the race stood despite Massa’s protestations, with the FIA’s statues making clear that overturning the classification from each season is impossible once the FIA Awards Ceremony for that year is complete, a rule set in the FIA International Sporting Code. Ecclestone revealed in March that both he and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew of the Crashgate scandal in 2008, but refused to publicise the chain of events to avoid the sport a “huge scandal.” The letter from Massa’s lawyers, sent to F1 and FIA, states: "Simply put, Mr Massa is the rightful 2008 Driver’s Champion, and F1 and FIA deliberately ignored the misconduct that cheated him out of that title. "Mr Massa is unable to fully quantify his losses at this stage but estimates that they are likely to exceed tens of millions of Euros. "This amount does not cover the serious moral and reputational losses suffered by Mr Massa.” F1 did not provide an immediate response to Reuters, while the FIA acknowledged receipt of “correspondence” from Massa’s lawyers and added: “The matter is under review and we will not be providing comment at this stage.” The Independent has contacted Formula 1 for comment. Ecclestone, however, told Reuters he could not remember saying the key lines. "I don’t remember any of this, to be honest,” said the 92-year-old. "I don’t remember giving the interview for sure." Massa, speaking in Miami in May, called the situation an “injustice.” “You fight them to the last corner of the last race, pass the chequered flag as the champion and then everything changed,” he told Sky Sports. “For sure, a fight on the track. “Then you discover what has happened in Singapore. People, important people like Bernie [Ecclestone], like Max Mosley, like Charlie Whiting - they knew in 2008 and they didn’t do anything. “That is really a massive surprise for me. It’s really [an] injustice and I think definitely we need to study everything that happened because it’s not fair what has happened.” The new furore surrounding the 2008 title was triggered after Ecclestone told F1-Insider earlier this year: “We decided not to do anything for now. We wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal. That’s why I used angelic tongues to persuade my former driver Nelson Piquet to keep calm for the time being. “Back then, there was a rule that a world championship classification after the FIA ​​awards ceremony at the end of the year was untouchable. So Hamilton was presented with the trophy and everything was fine. “We had enough information in time to investigate the matter. According to the statutes, we should have cancelled the race in Singapore under these conditions. “That means it would never have happened for the championship standings. And then Felipe Massa would have become world champion and not Lewis Hamilton.” Massa’s lawyers added that the Brazilian wants “recognition that, but for those unlawful acts, he would have been awarded the 2008 Championship” – adding that they will “commence legal proceedings in the English courts” if a suitable response is not received within 14 days. Despite the start of legal action, Massa is not able to officially overturn the result – with the FIA’s own International Sporting Code stating protests and reviews expire 14 days after a competition and four days prior to that year’s prize giving ceremony. He also cannot use the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has no jurisdiction over the FIA on issues like this, with the independent International Court of Appeal the highest authority in the sport. CAS may only be involved in F1 matters relating to the FIA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee. Massa’s best-finish in F1 turned out to be that 2008 season as he retired in 2017 while Hamilton has gone on to win six more titles with Mercedes, holding the joint-record of seven F1 World Championships with Michael Schumacher. Read More F1 2023 mid-season awards: Best driver, worst race and biggest surprise Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 F1 title still under threat as Felipe Massa bemoans ‘injustice’ Is a bright Ferrari future being hampered by the past? Flavio Briatore: The ego who landed... with a crash

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has slammed the FIA and labelled Red Bull’s penalty last year for breaching the cost cap as a “big joke.” Red Bull, who have won the drivers’ title in the last two years and are on track to do so with Max Verstappen again this year, were found guilty of a minor financial overspend for 2021 and were handed a £6m fine and docked 10 per cent of their car development time. However, the penalty has had little impact on Red Bull’s progress having won all 12 races so far this year – and Christian Horner’s team have won 22 of the last 23 grands prix overall. Ex-Alfa Romeo chief Vasseur, who took over at Ferrari from Mattia Binotto before the start of this season, insists the punishment should have been a lot harsher on Red Bull. "A penalty like last year really isn’t severe. If it should be necessary again, such a penalty should be much heavier,” the Frenchman told Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport. "You have to keep in mind that a technical advantage will translate into a sporting advantage. Therefore, the penalty should be sporting and not a fine. “In soccer, if you use a hand, it’s a penalty... they don’t give you a [non-sporting] penalty. “The deduction of 10 per cent wind tunnel time is a big joke. They have already done most of the work by then." Verstappen is currently on a win-streak of eight and can match Sebastian Vettel’s all-time record from 2013 of nine with victory at his home race next up in Zandvoort. Ferrari, meanwhile, have not won a race since Austria last year and are currently fourth in the Constructors’ Championship behind Red Bull, Mercedes and Aston Martin. F1 returns after the summer break next week with the Dutch Grand Prix (25-27 August). Read More F1 2023 mid-season awards: Best driver, worst race and biggest surprise Carlos Sainz interview: ‘All of us at Ferrari expected more – we haven’t done the best job’ ‘It was pretty wild’: F1 champion Max Verstappen learns how to drift ‘It was pretty wild’: F1 champion Max Verstappen learns how to drift ‘Incredible’ Norris backed for more podium success by Verstappen and Perez F1 2023 calendar: All 23 Grand Prix this year

McLaren’s season has been transformed form the start of the year, and before the summer break Lando Norris secured back-to-back podium places for the first time in his career. Norris took second place at Silverstone and in Hungary, with the outcome of a technical overhaul of the car paying dividends to lift the young English driver up the field. After the first seven races in the season, he had recorded just 12 points, including finishing at the back of the field in the first two races in Jeddah and Bahrain. The MCL60 car underwent a significant technical upgrade after the Montreal race on 18 June, where Norris finished outside the points in 13th place. But by 9 July, things had turned around, and Norris finished second to Max Verstappen at Silverstone, giving McLaren their first podium of the season, and turning his total of 12 points for the season to 69 by the summer break. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, who sits second in the drivers championship behind teammate Max Verstappen said he expected to see Norris more often on the podium. “I think from where they were in Bahrain – or not even in Bahrain [just] before Silverstone – the step that they made these last two races on very different tracks layouts, I think it’s impressive. And I do expect to see Lando a lot more up here. They’ve done an incredible job,” he said, reported by the F1 website. Verstappen was also asked about the recent rise of the 23-year-old and said: “First of all, I think it’s quite incredible to see where they were in Bahrain and where they are now, McLaren. But I think Lando has done extremely well. “But this is also not a surprise to me. It’s just good to see finally that when you have a competent car that you can do a good job and he’s here in P2, twice. It doesn’t need a number even.”

A former Formula 1 driver believes as many as “seven or eight” other men would be able to win a world title if they had use of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. The Dutchman is cruising towards a third successive Drivers’ Championship crown, leading the standings by 125 points at the summer break. The 25-year-old has won the last eight races and Red Bull are yet to be beaten at a Grand Prix this season. And while praising Verstappen, Juan Pablo Montoya believes that the Red Bull vehicle’s superiority over the rest of the cars on the grid would allow plenty of his rivals to become world champions were they to swap with him. “Well right now, he’s doing a very good job,,” Montoya, who won seven times in six seasons in F1 at the start of the century, told Semana of Verstappen’s dominance. “He looks just as invincible as when [Lewis] Hamilton was winning everything, that’s the reality. “Max is a very good driver, but so far in the best car. Max’s speed right now is no better than Max’s speed two years ago, it’s probably the same. The car is much faster. “If you take Max out of that car, there are about seven or eight drivers who could be world champions in that car. If he were not there, Checo [Sergio Perez], Hamilton, [Carlos] Sainz, [Charles] Leclerc, he would be world champion. “It is the timing of motorsport, not only one as a driver, but also the machine one has. The luck of which car is fast. The Red Bull with these rules is the best car; suddenly, if the rules change, it could be no longer. “It is the balance between the better you are, the more chance you have of being in a good team. The best drivers are in the best cars. “Lando Norris, for example, is a very good driver and the McLaren has improved a lot this year, but Lando in Red Bull would probably be world champion.” The F1 season is set to resume on the weekend of 27 August at Verstappen’s home Grand Prix in the Netherlands. No team has ever completed a clean sweep of race victories across a full campaign. There are ten stops left on the calendar, with the concluding event in Abu Dhabi on the final weekend of November. Read More F1 2023 mid-season awards: Best driver, worst race and biggest surprise How Max Verstappen and record-breaking Red Bull compare to Formula One greats F1 2023 season race schedule: When is the Dutch Grand Prix? F1 2023 calendar: All 23 Grand Prix this year F1 2023 mid-season awards: Best driver, worst race and biggest surprise Continued struggles will leave Mercedes frustrated and confused – Martin Brundle

It’s a case of 12 down, 10 to go for Formula 1 in 2023. Max Verstappen is cruising to a third-straight world championship for a Red Bull team who look invincible – and could yet go the whole season invincible. Yet there have been other notable performances too, with Aston Martin and more recently McLaren impressing, while behemoths like Ferrari and Mercedes are left wondering how they’ve been left so far behind Red Bull yet again. It’s now time for the usual four-week August break, but not before The Independent takes a look at the highlights and lowlights from the first five months of the 2023 season. Best driver – Max Verstappen Unsurprisingly, the easiest choice of the lot. Eight wins in a row, 10 from 12 in total, Verstappen is has a mammoth 125-point lead to team-mate Sergio Perez with 10 races left. The title is already virtually sewn up. The only question left is – how many records he can set this season? Next in line is Sebastian Vettel’s 2013 record of nine wins in a row, which he can match at his home race in Zandvoort. Thank you, next. Best team – Red Bull To the second easiest choice of the lot. It seemed highly unlikely that Red Bull could improve on their double success last year; surely the chasing pack would reel them in? In fact, it’s gone the other way. Red Bull’s rocketship RB19 is Adrian Newey’s greatest design yet. It has won all 15 races including sprints – 12 from Verstappen, three from Perez – and they’ve had five one-two finishes. Including last season, Christian Horner’s team have won 22 of the last 23 grands prix. George Russell was somewhat ridiculed for suggesting after the first race in Bahrain that Red Bull “could win every race this season.” He doesn’t look so silly now. An unprecedented perfect season could well be the story of the season. Biggest disappointment – Nyck de Vries Already out the door after 10 races, with Daniel Ricciardo replacing him at AlphaTauri, Nyck de Vries’ Formula 1 career is in tatters. With zero points, a best-finish of 12th and Red Bull overlord Helmut Marko criticising him as early as April, the writing was on the wall for De Vries from the outset. Did he deserve quite such an early exit? Probably not. But it was coming. This was not supposed to be the order of play after the Dutchman’s mightily impressive debut at Monza last year for Williams, where he finished ninth filling in for Alex Albon. A return to Formula E appears most likely for the 28-year-old now. Most improved driver/team – Aston Martin Eyebrows were raised last summer when Fernando Alonso switched from Alpine to the struggling Aston Martin, who finished seventh in the Constructors’ Standings. But how that decision has bore fruit. Alonso started the 2023 season with five podiums in six races, with the racing green Aston modelled closely on leader of the pack Red Bull, leapfrogging the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari early on. They’ve had something of a dip recently, but Alonso remains the best of the rest behind Red Bull in the world championship. Their emergence as a frontrunner will be undoubtedly confirmed if they can achieve a race victory in the second-half of the season. Biggest surprise – McLaren’s recent revival Aside from the extent of Red Bull’s dominance, the July renaissance from the McLaren papaya has come completely out the blue. It looked set to be a long season when, in the season-opener in Bahrain, Lando Norris pitted six times amid issues with the MCL60. But, having made personnel changes and altered their floor of the car, Norris secured two second-place finishes in a row in Silverstone and Hungary. Australian rookie Oscar Piastri has also impressed after a cagey start – the highlight a sterling drive to finish second in the Belgian GP sprint race on Saturday. Biggest underachiever – Ferrari This will not be the biggest surprise. After looking so fierce and domineering at the start of 2022, how the Scuderia’s fortunes have reversed in the 18 months since. Ferrari have not won a race since Charles Leclerc in Austria last year – over 12 months now – and despite changing their team principal in the off-season from Mattia Binotto to Fred Vassuer, they continue to be impacted by the same disorderly confusion which characterised last season. Charles Leclerc appears close to breaking point on occasions, with Carlos Sainz not far behind. Ferrari themselves will do well not to be left bereft in the midfield in the remainder of 2023. Biggest shock – Toto Wolff revealing Mercedes will ditch car concept Max Verstappen insisting he could quit F1 if more sprint races are added to the calendar was a shock. But just beating it, it didn’t take long for Mercedes to finally ditch their unique no-sidepod design. Toto Wolff didn’t even wait until the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix; testing, practice and qualifying had told him enough. “I don’t think this package is going to be competitive eventually,” he said. “We got it wrong last year. We thought we could fix it by sticking to the concept of car but it didn’t work out so we just need to switch our focus on to what we believe is the right direction.” Improvement for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell has been slow but steady since. Biggest farce – Esteban Ocon pit-lane incident in Baku Everyone knew it was happening. The pit wall, the broadcasters – but not the FIA seemingly. Esteban Ocon had to pit before the last lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix having pursued a bold – albeit ineffective in the end – strategy to drive the whole race on one set of tyres. F1 rules dictate every driver must pit at least once. So the shocking scenes which followed of Ocon almost running over photographers and officials walking in the pit lane was shambolic and extremely unsafe. Best race – Australian Grand Prix In a season lacking classic races thus far, the street track of Albert Park in Melbourne did at least provide drama from start to finish. Three red flags were thrown due to crashes throughout the race, with a late shunt forcing a captivating two-lap shootout to finish, which subsequently resulted in the Alpines crashing into each other and Carlos Sainz penalised for spinning Fernando Alonso. The sort of chaotic carnage which has not been replicated since. Worst race – Hungarian Grand Prix Expectations were high in Budapest after Hamilton claimed his first pole position since December 2021. Could he defend from Max Verstappen from lights out? Could there be a battle between the pair not seen since Abu Dhabi 2021? No, no there couldn’t. Verstappen dived down the inside at turn one and was not seen again. The race descended into nothing short of a bore-fest and had just 16 overtakes – the lowest amount in any grand prix in 2023. For comparison, last year’s race at the Hungaroring had 61 overtakes. 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